Page 47 - BUSINESS MATHEMATICS MODULE 1 (WHOLE)_Neat

LESSON 3. ORDER OF OPERATION

B. PEMDAS (GEMDAS)
For cases where the expression involves signs or symbols of groupings such as parenthesis,
brackets, braces, and exponent, the PEMDAS rule is applied.

PEMDAS rule stands for Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and
Subtraction. In some instances, the PEMDAS rule is also known as the GEMDAS which stands for

Groupings, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction. Though parenthesis is
commonly used as a grouping symbol in most mathematical expressions other signs or symbols are

also used like brackets “[ ]”, braces “{ }”, and vinculum.

Note: A vinculum is a horizontal line drawn over a group of terms in a mathematical expression
to indicate that they are to be operated on as a single entity by the preceding or following

operator.

vinculum M1_L3

The Order of Operations is shown below.

1. Parentheses and Brackets (Groupings) -- Simplify the inside of parentheses and

brackets before you deal with the exponent (if any) of the set of parentheses or remove the
parentheses.

2. Exponents -- Simplify the exponent of a number or a set of parentheses before you
multiply, divide, add, or subtract it. (Note: Exponent is a multiplication of same value or

2
3
expression, i.e. 3 × 3 = 3 , × × = .)
3. Multiplication and Division -- Simplify multiplication and division in the order that they
appear from left to right.

4. Addition and Subtraction -- Simplify addition and subtraction in the order that they
appear from left to right.

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